Also under consideration was Abigail Thomson of Moravian Academy. Thomson collected her third straight Class AA district title in the 500 free and earned her third straight silver in the 200 free. She placed third at states in the 500 and 10th in the 200 free.

For Karam, it's all about the motivation. She used that word continuously when talking about her season in the pool and how she plans to improve.

As a freshman, Karam burst onto the high school scene and had nearly a mirror year to this past winter. She won two events at districts (100 freestyle, 100 backstroke), set a record (100 free) and earned fourth-place (100 back) and sixth-place (100 free) medals at states.

Though at the time she said she felt "blessed" to win the medals, the hardware also provided the incentive to do even better this season.

"I think the thing that fueled me was knowing I had two district titles already and I wanted to defend them," Karam said. "I would do anything to defend them because I don't want to lose them."

Karam took a break from the backstroke last summer to concentrate mainly on middle distance and sprinting. That led to the tough decision to give up the backstroke, her favorite event, in favor of the 200 free this season.

"I noticed that if I actually tried really hard and put my mind to it I could be a good 200 freestyler," Karam said.

Her feelings about the event are a paradox.

"I hated (the 200 free) a year ago and I still do because it's the toughest event," she said. "But I've grown to like it in a weird way. I still hate it, but it's definitely my favorite event."

Karam's decision proved to be a good one.

At districts, she led wire-to-wire and touched in at 1:52.63, just under Central Catholic's Sydney Stinner's record of 1:52.69 set last year.

Karam was happy with that finish but wasn't as pleased with her next five races between Day 2 of districts and the state meet.

She successfully defended her title in the 100 free but failed to break the record she set last year. Karam swam 52.47, just shy of her 2012 time of 52.29.

"I felt so much better than I should have for districts," she said. "At states, I felt horrible. I felt all-around weak, physically weak."

In the 200 free, Karam swam 1:53.30, which was good for a No. 4 seed heading into the final but slower than her seed time. In the final, she improved on her morning swim. Still, her time of 1:52.82 (fourth place overall) was not what she was expecting on a full taper.

In the 100, she again was slower than her seed time and just sneaked into the final by .02. She posted a 53.23. In the final, she swam a 52.78 and tied for seventh.

"Overall, even at states I just wasn't happy with (the 100 free)," she said. "I wasn't happy with my time. I wasn't happy with the results or at states with my placing."

Karam took some consolation in earning medals but was left wanting.

"It's good knowing I have these medals and that I placed at states," she said. "But I don't think I'm going to be happy with my performance until I get exactly what I want, which is first at states. I'm doing everything I can until I get that."

Karam had an excellent year, but as her own toughest critic she's hungry for more.

"I'm definitely harsh on myself when it comes to training," she said. "I always just want to be the best and I'll do whatever I have to do to get that."

Karam also draws on other factors for inspiration, including any pressure she applies to herself or any she feels from people's expectations of her.

"At districts, I felt a lot more pressure because I knew everyone was going to be like, 'Will she defend (her title) or will she lose,'" Karam said. "It was a lot more pressure and I actually really liked it because it motivated me to do even better."

There was also the memory of having an award taken from her.

Last year at districts, Karam was announced as the Dennis A. McGinley Swimmer of the Meet. However, there was a recalculation of the power points and the award to Stinner.

This year, the McGinley Award was all hers.

"I definitely wanted to get it because last year getting it was really good, but then when they took it away it was 10 times worse than you could ever imagine," she said. "I wanted to get it this year just to prove to everyone that I could get it."

Now that Karam earned it once, there's no way she wants to relinquish it.

"Once I got it I was like 'Oh my God, are they going to take it from me?'" she said.

At this point, Karam plans to defend her district title in the 200 free but isn't quite sure if she's going to go for three-in-a-row in the 100 or go after the backstroke title again. If she does swim in the 100, she's not just going there for gold.

"I want to break my record (100 free) and I want to break my 200 record," she said. "I just have big goals for next year."